


Blaze of Glory

by Kuailong



Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Deathfic, Gen, Songfic, i'm not even sorry, who needs a heart?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-24
Updated: 2013-07-24
Packaged: 2017-12-21 04:55:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/896037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kuailong/pseuds/Kuailong
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Let no one say Tony Stark was not a hero.</p>
<p>A death songfic to the song Blaze of Glory, by Bon Jovi.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Blaze of Glory

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not sorry for this. It's sad. But it works well together, and the song is a perfect song for Tony to go out to.  
> Beta'd by Z_K.

Wake up in the morning,   
And I raise my weary head,   
I got an old coat for a pillow,   
And the earth was last night's bed.

The Sacrifice play, cutting the wire, whatever you wanted to call it. Tony Stark knew exactly what he was doing when he walked into the building. He knew the odds, the possible outcomes, and yet he waltzed right into that building. It wasn’t until the entire complex collapsed that the team realized exactly what had happened.

 I don't know where I'm going,   
Only God knows where I've been,   
I'm a devil on the run,   
A six gun lover,   
A candle in the wind, yeah! 

_“Stark, I’m sorry for what I said –“ Steve began, hovering behind Tony as he worked. “Save it, Rogers. We both know what made us say those things.” Tony said, proof that he wasn’t completely oblivious. “You proved all of us wrong, though.” Steve tried for a different angle. “And we both know I was the only one who could have pulled that off, I do what I have to.” Stark fired back. He was not doing this now._

When you're brought into this world,   
They say you're born in sin,   
Well at least they gave me something,   
I didn't have to steal or have to win.

Natasha was the first to make the connection, when the battle had ended, and they were still standing despite threats of a fairly large bomb on the premises. “Tony, so help me if you’re in that building ...” She ranted over their communications link.  “You’ll do what?” came the response, and Natasha was about to take a sigh of relief when Tony’s question was followed by wet coughing. She frowned and turned to Steve.

Well they tell me that I'm wanted,   
Yeah, I'm a wanted man,   
I'm a colt in your stable,   
I'm what Cain was to Abel,   
Mister, catch me if you can. 

_After moving into the Tower, the team started to realize something about their teammate. Tony Stark had two faces, the one he wanted you to see, and what was really under that mask. Soon it became Tony, and no longer Stark. Soon it became nothing but first names between all of them. The trust that developed between them was nigh unbreakable._

I'm going down in a blaze of glory,   
Take me now but know the truth.

Steve flagged down Clint, Thor and Bruce. The latter having reverted back to himself and was pulling on the pair of emergency pants that had been thrown to him. “Tony, what’s your position?” Steve asked warily through his earpiece. “Buried under a few tons of brick and mortar, I think.” Natasha snarled at his blasé attitude. She was picking her way over the rubble to get a clearer picture of where to start digging. “Status?” Steve plowed onward, a deep weight settling in his chest. “Not good, Steve.” His words were followed by a series of wet coughs. “Details, Stark.” Coulson barked, and Steve started. He hadn’t noticed their handler approach. Coulson handed Bruce an earpiece and moved to stand beside Steve.

I'm going out in a blaze of glory,   
Lord, I never drew first,   
But I drew first blood,   
I'm no one's son,   
Call me young gun. 

_It was well agreed that Clint had a nasty habit of falling from perches, and for all of Tony’s snark about it, Iron Man was there to catch Hawkeye each time. Tony and Steve were the only ones Hulk listened to in battle, and for the oddest reason, Tony always knew when Natasha needed backup. Not a team player, indeed._

You ask about my conscience,   
And I offer you my soul,   
You ask if I'll grow to be a wise man,   
When I ask if I'll grow old,

Bruce paled, and the rest of the team did with him, as Tony listed off his status. Steve looked to Bruce and the doctor mutely shook his head. Steve paled further, and a string of violent Russian curses drifted from Natasha’s direction. “We try.” Steve declared after a minute, turning to see Natasha already picking off smaller bits of rubble. “Wait.” Tony called and Steve halted in his tracks. “I need to talk to Bruce.” Was followed by Tony murmuring to JARVIS and silence after. Steve surmised that Tony was speaking privately to Bruce, especially after he noticed Bruce take off to a secluded corner.

You ask me if I known love,   
And what it's like to sing songs in the rain,   
Well, I've seen love come,   
I've seen it shot down,   
I've seen it die in vain.

_Slowly, the Avengers family grew to include significant others and Coulson himself. Steve began to think of his past less and less, while Clint slowly opened up more and more. Natasha’s easy way with her partner grew to include the team. Thor’s knowledge gap was slowly decreasing, and his enthusiasm at life was infectious. Bruce hid in his lab less, and it seemed as though Hulk was less angry, but Steve suspected part of that was due to the addition of Betty Ross to their family._

Shot down in a blaze of glory,   
Take me now but know the truth.

Natasha, Thor and Clint had started digging when abruptly Bruce hulked out. Steve started, but when the Hulk ambled over to the rubble and began digging, he realized it was most likely intentional. There was more control in the planned changes. “Tony?” Steve cautioned. “Right here.” Steve frowned at how weak Tony sounded, and he couldn’t help but recall how pale Bruce had looked and the mute shake of his head.

'Cause I'm going down in a blaze of glory,   
Lord I never drew first,   
But I drew first blood,   
I'm the devil's son,   
Call me young gun,   
Yeah! 

_The first time anyone was seriously injured, it was Clint. It was the beginning of a SHIELD medical ritual that they never broke. They sat in turns, and always someone was there, keeping vigil. Steve hated it, he hated seeing his team get hurt, any one of them, and he did everything in his power to stop it, but it happened. And they made the best of it._

Each night I go to bed,   
I pray the Lord my soul to keep,   
No, I ain't looking for forgiveness,   
But before I'm six foot deep.

 Steve recalled certain things from the war as he joined his team in digging. Keep them talking. “Tony?” His voice was no more than a grunt as he hefted a large piece of concrete. “Yeah?” Natasha caught his eye and he realized she knew what he was trying to do. His mind drew a blank on what to ask, but Natasha had caught on. “Tony, list JARVIS’ specs.” She said, pausing to assess their progress. He started to rattle of numbers and words that made little sense to Steve, but seemed to work for Natasha.

Lord, I got to ask a favor,   
And I'll hope you'll understand,   
'Cause I've lived life to the fullest,   
Let this boy die like a man. 

_It was the first time any of them had been captured that Steve really realized how close they had become. Natasha had been doing a solo mission for SHIELD when she was taken, and the team informed two days later. Steve watched as Tony nearly swung at Fury and Clint sat there, as if frozen. He watched Tony storm out and lock himself in his lab, and Steve hoped that this was not the breaking point. He was relieved when a few hours later Tony Stark emerged with a triumphant look on his face and proclaimed he had a location. They recovered their team mate only slightly battered, and Steve could do nothing but sigh in relief._

Staring down the bullet,   
Let me make my final stand!

All of them kept Tony talking as long as they could, trying to keep him conscious. An hour in and he started slurring his words, prompting them to work faster. They were losing daylight fast. A half hour later and they knew he had lost the battle to stay awake. Still, they heard his labored breathing, and Steve allowed himself to hope, that maybe, just maybe, they could pull this off.

Shot down in a blaze of glory,   
Take me now but know the truth,   
I'm going out in a blaze of glory,   
Lord I never drew first,   
But I drew first blood.

_Steve was proud of the growth he’d seen. He was more than pleased how a rag-tag group of people had formed a bond as strong as theirs. How seamlessly they worked in battle, how each seemed an extension of each other. Countless battles fought, countless foes brought to their knees. And yet he knew, somehow, they would always be needed. There would always be a place for him and his team, and as much as he would love to see complete peace, he knew that it was unrealistic._

I'm no one's son,   
Call me young gun,   
I'm a young gun, yeah!

Steve barely noticed it when the communications link went silent. Dead. Wrong word, he thought. He looked up and could see the change in his team, how their effort was no longer rescue, but recovery.  And yet they did not slacken the pace. He felt no joy, as hours later, the Hulk roared triumphantly. He had no heart to explain to the confused creature. Clint took that solemn duty without even a word. Let no one ever say Tony Stark was not a hero, Steve thought.

**Author's Note:**

> If it isn't clear, Tony dismantled the bomb they were being threatened with. Forgot to clarify that.


End file.
